Corset



No. 607,023. Patented luly l2, |898. WL B. H. DUWSE.

CORSET.

' (Application Bled Feb. 23 1897.) (No- Model.)

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Arana trice.

VILLIAM B. II. DOVSE, OF NElVTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THECONSOLIDATED FASTENER COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,023, dated July 12,1898.

Application iiled February Z3, 1897. Serial No. 624,554. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. II. DOWSE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealthof Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Corsets,of which the following is a full specification.

My invention relates to and consists of an improved fastening forcorsets, consist-ing of a male member and a female member, hereinafterdescribed in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,wherein- Figure l shows a plan of the fastening as used on the front of acorset embodying' my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of one of thefemale sockets with the lip-holding piece shown in section. Fig. 3 is anenlarged plan of the under side of one of the female sockets. Fig. 4 isan enlarged vertical section of a female socket before the plate andlip-holding piece are combined. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectionof one of my female sockets, showing a male member engaged therewith.Fig. 6 is the same as Fig. 5 with the addition of a cap. Fig. 7 is anenlarged vertical section on the line 7 7, Fig. l.

My fastener consists of the male member A and the female member B, whichare secured, respectively, to the front edges of a corset embodying myinvention.

My male member A consists of the metal strip C, provided with the studsE, having the rounded head e and sharply-defined neck e.

My female member B consists of the metal strip D, provided with theplates F, suitably secured thereto and projecting over the edge at rightangles to its length, the plates F having in their outer ends astud-receiving opening G, Fig. 4e, and being provided With ahandle-operated lipped lever or latch II for holding a stud Within saidopening, as hereinafter described. The lever II is held by the annularshaped lip -holding piece I, whose cross-section is that of an invertedU, as shown. This holding-piece I is placed upon the plate F around thestud-receiving opening G and is so proportioned that the cylindricalspace or chamber S, inclosed by its internal walls J, forms acontinuation of the opening G in the plate F. The outer Walls K of thepiece I have at intervals the downwardly projecting tangs t, whichproject through corresponding holes in the plate F and are clenched onthe under side, as shown in Fig. 3, thus securing the holding-piece I tothe plate F.

The lipped lever II is of the curved shape shown in Fig. 2 and lies inthe annularinternal space of the lip-holding piece I.

The lever II is fulcrumed at its end 71, in the 6o external wall K ofthe holding-piece at'k and has on its concave side the lip M, whichprojects through the opening or slit N in the wall .I into the chamberS. A suitable spring 0,'

by pressing on the lever, as shown, constantly urges the lip M into thechamber S. It will thus be seen that when the stud member is pushed upthrough the opening G and into the space S its rounded head will forceback the lip M of the lever II and slip past it un- 7o til the said lipsnaps into the sharply-defined neck e of the stud. It will then beimpossible to Withdraw the male member iuntil the lipped lever is drawnback, compressing the spring O. To this end I allow the end h of stud.This handle h is bent down at right 8o .angles to the lever and .passesdown through the suitably-curved slot f in the plate F, so

that the lipped lever II may be'operatedfrom the under side of the plateF.

The levers II of the various sockets of the female member aresimultaneously operated by the connecting lever-bar P, which liesbetween the strips C and D, passing'beneath the plates F. Thedownwardly-projecting handles h of the lipped levers II are passed 9othrough the elongated aperture p of the bar P and loosely turned underthe under side, as shown in Figs. 3 and G. The elongated aperture p inthe bar P, as well as the slot f in the plate F, have the curve of anarc about 9 5 the fulcrum h of the lever II, so that when a stud issnapped into the socket the Vlever II may be pressed back and beresisted only by the spring O, the handle 7?. moving freely in the slotfand aperture p. In this Way, alroo though the handles h of a number ofsockets are thus secured to the bar P, a stud may be locked into eachsocket separately Without disturbing the other sockets.

The apertures p are so arranged that when both the lever H and bar P arein their normal positions the handles 7L rest against the end of theirrespective apertures 2J, so that by sliding the bar I longitudinally thelevers of the various sockets will be operated simultaneously. The barPis held in its normal position by the spring Q, and the lever is drawnback either by the cord R at its end or by a knob orhandle T,suitablyplaced on the bar P.

As shown in Fig. G, the Ali] aholding piece I maybe provided with a capU, suitably closed over its edge.

I claim- Y 1. A fastening device for corsets or other articles,consisting ot' a male and female member, the male member comprising ametal strip provided with studs, and the female member a metal stripprovided With plates, each plate having a stud-receiving opening, ahandle-operated lipped lever projecting across and above each of saidopenings, the ends of said levers being bent down underneath the plates,and a lever-holding piece I, substantially as described.

2. A fastening for corsets or other articles consisting of a male andfemale member, of which the male member comprises a metal strip providedWith studs, and the female member a metal strip provided with a seriesof plates each having a socket, alever having a handle and alever-handle slot in the Wall surrounding each of said sockets,substantially as described.

3. Afastenin gfor corsets and other articles consisting of a male andfemale member, of which the male member comprises a metal strip providedWith studs, and the female member a metal strip provided With plates andfemale sockets, and levers, in combination with a springaetuatedconnecting leverbar, substantially as described.

4:. A fastening for corsets and other articles consisting of a male andfemale member of Which the male member comprises a metal strip providedwith studs and the female member a metal strip provided with plateshaving a lever and lever-holding piece, in cornbnation with anoperating-bar provided with elongated apertures Whereby each fastener islocked separately and all simultaneously, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

XVM. B. Il. DOWSE.

VVitnesses:

L. A. STAoKroLE, A. l-I. FLANNERY.

